Virtualization Advice: Beware of Server Overload

Virtualization vendors may toute the ability to run anywhere form 20 to 100 virtual machines on a single physical machine, but according to a new guide on Computer World, that is a very bad idea for heavy-duty applications. As virtualization stretches deeper into the enterprise, Computer World also says that IT executives are learning that double-digit physical-to-virtual server ratios are things of the past.

"The variance between the reality and the expectations, whether it's due to vendor hype or internal ROI issues, could spell trouble for IT teams. That's because the consolidation rate affects just about every aspect of a virtualization project -- budget, capacity and executive buy-in. 'If you go into these virtualization projects with a false expectation, you're going to get in trouble,' Mann says.

"Indeed, overestimating physical-to-virtual ratios can result in the need for more server hardware, rack space, cooling capacity and power consumption -- all of which cost money. Worse yet, users could be affected by poorly performing applications. 'If a company thinks they're only going to need 10 servers at the end of a virtualization project and they actually need 15, it could have a significant impact on the overall cost of the consolidation and put them in the hole financially. Not a good thing, especially in this economy,' says Charles King, president and principal analyst at consultancy Pund-IT Inc. in Hayward, Calif."

Read the Full Story at Computer World